When History Repeats Itself
by RejaNuha
Summary: During his 7th year of teaching, Snape notices the familiar symptoms of abuse in one of his 7th year students. Can he stop what happened to him and his mother from happening to this young woman? Or will it bring back too many buried pains from his past?
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

He really did not want to do this but since no one else seemed to notice, he felt he had to intervene.

Snape sat at his desk, looking over the first essays of the term from his 7th year potions class. In his hands was the essay of 7th year Hufflepuff, Alison Montgomery. Alison's first year at Hogwarts was Severus' first year as teacher and for that reason he held a slight bias towards the students in that year. After all, when he was finding his feet as a teacher, they were finding theirs as students and he could not deny the symmetry. Besides, they were not that far apart in age.

At the end of the year when this class had finally graduated and moved on from Hogwarts, he hoped to have a small sense of accomplishment. Things would officially be 'full-circle' as the first class he helped raise from first year dunderheads went out into the wizarding world a little less incompentent... Thanks to him.

Alison was no more special in his eyes than any other student. She had always made good marks and was not lacking too much in potions, but she was part of one of his least favourite houses. He did not know which was worse- Hufflepuff or Gryffindor?

As a general rule, he had always graded their first essays of the year a bit harsher than normal. The thinking behind it being that they were all so lazy from the summer break that one harsh mark and a few harsh words would snap them back into their 'learning' frame of mind but it did not seem to work with Alison this time around. He had been particularly cruel to her within the first month because he expected better of her. She was not her normal self. She was not bouncing back like usual. Instead, her grades had become worse than he had ever seen.

He would not have said anything if he had not recognized the symptoms. However, he had seen the signs before. It was a long time ago but clear as day to a person who knew what to look for. He thought about going to Dumbledore but the meddling old fool would probably insist that Severus handle the situation himself. So he did what he thought was best. He confronted her.

_A/N: I know- short chapter- probably the shortest I've ever written but it is a start. This will not be an overly long fic. I'm working on one of those now... 25k words in and I'm still only at the very beginning of the journey. Grueling! Anyway, updates should not take long._


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: The rating of this fic may go up in the future. I haven't decided yet what it may move up to. This piece might only contain physical and mental abuse but that could turn to sexual abuse. I've been doing some research on the topics to better determine which path to take. Opinions welcome._

_I also apologize for taking so long to update such a little fic. I'm being lazy and stupid slow. Thank you to my readers and reviewers!_

Chapter 2

"I want three rolls of parchment on my desk by the end of the week weighing the pros and cons of Veritaserum."

"Three rolls?" a young Hufflepuff objected through the chorus of groans.

"Did I stutter?" Snape asked, raising a brow.

"No, sir," the student said and gathered his belongings as the class began to shuffle out of the Potion's classroom.

Snape watched the young Hufflepuff with great interest, paying particular attention to how he interacted with the student sitting next to him- Alison Montgomery.

Alison had been dating Mark Sedgwick since their fourth year at Hogwarts. It was a bit of a shock when it first happened as Mark was Captain and Keeper of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team and Alison was just... plain old Alison. There had been a noticeable change in her throughout the years but it was so gradual that Snape really had to look back in his mind's eye to know that he was doing the right thing. Most would consider her gradual changes part of a teenage girl becoming a young woman and growing into her own shoes but when other factors were present, it meant otherwise. Alison used to be average- no ugly duckling yet no beauty queen either. Mark had made her elsewise. She was a presentation to him, an ornament, a decoration on his arm. Of course he wanted her to look not just her best but to look _the_ best. Snape knew the type. If Sedgwick could not get a smart, pretty, caring girl to call his then he would prey on one of the weaker ones that was simply smart or caring. The 'pretty' part Mark could make her work on when he knew which strings to pull.

"Ms. Montgomery," he said as she finished packing her things. "A word, if you will." When Mark did not make to leave Alison's side or the room for that matter, Snape's little patience grew thin. "You may go, Mr. Sedgwick."

The young man opened his mouth to object but Snape interceded.

"You are not needed," he said in a sharp tone as he turned towards his desk and began filtering through the stack of essays until he found Ms. Montgomery's. He heard the boy hesitate behind him, or rather did not hear him retreat right away but by the time Snape looked back up, Mark was walking through the classroom door.

With an angry flick of his wrist, Snape slammed the door shut. Alison jumped. He took the essay in his hand and with a jerk of his head indicated that he wanted a more private word in his office.

"After you," he said.

Alison held her books to her chest as she walked in front of Snape. There was a slight slump to her shoulders but he could tell that she was trying her best to keep her head held high.

"Have a seat, Ms. Montgomery." Snape shut the door and cast a silencing charm. It may have seemed a bit over the top for him to take such precautions for a simple student-teacher conference but Mr. Sedgwick was just going to have to get used to not knowing every detail of Alison's life.

Snape swept around her and sat at his desk. He set her essay down and pushed it towards her, gesturing for her to look at it with an open palm. Alison picked up the parchment and saw a large, red **T** amongst several red notes made in Snape's compact handwriting. She swallowed hard and looked up to see him looking oddly relaxed. He was sitting back in his chair, looking more interested in the ceiling than anything else. After what felt like hours of tense silence, Snape finally lowered his gaze back to Alison and raised one of his brows.

"What would you like me to say?" Alison asked timidly.

Snape considered his options. He was not one to beat around the bush and as much as he loved watching his students squirm, he did not call her in here to torment her. So, he went for the jugular.

"How are things with Mr. Sedgwick?"


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: So it has only been a week but it feels like it has been forever since I've updated. I'm in a terrible mood today (been having computer issues and I've been under a lot of stress lately) and decided to turn to Snape for some happiness since the characters in my original pieces are not cooperating. On a more positive note, this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly had 50 pages of Harry Potter stuff ranging from the first to the final films. At one part it read, "Only Alan Rickman could make Severus Snape sexy." Although, I think the book character is pretty sexy (now that I've fallen in love with him after having fallen for Sirius and Remus) but I agree that Rickman is quite sexy!_

_Thank you to my reviewers!_

Chapter 3

…he went for the jugular.

"How are things with Mr. Sedgwick?"

"Professor?"

"You heard me," he said, leaning forward in his chair and uncharacteristically resting his chin in his left palm.

"Um, fine, I suppose," she answered but looked wary in regards to the reasoning behind his inquisition.

"Are you certain?" he asked, staring at her intently.

Alison squirmed in her chair and directed her eyes away from his penetrating gaze. "Sir," she ventured, "I don't understand what this has to do with my grades."

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sat back in his chair. This was going to be far more difficult than he had thought. Instinct and habit told him to criticize but now was not the time for a lecture. He looked at Alison and for the first time felt that he really saw her as a human being. She would need encouragement and support. Was he able to give her those things? They were not his strong suit. **Perhaps this was a mistake**.

She sat there waiting patiently for him to answer her question. She needed confirmation of his intentions but they never came.

Snape stood. Not wishing to intimidate her, he turned halfway towards the lone window in the back of his office and leaned against the wall. He needed her to see another side of him, to see him at ease, gentle, in order for her to be comfortable enough to trust him. Otherwise, she would never open up to him. He chided himself for not having a more concrete plan. He thought this would be easier but now he was at a loss as to what to say next. Some naive part of him expected her to pour out her problems as soon as the subject was mentioned. He should have known better.

"Ms. Montgomery, I understand that this may be awkward or uncomfortable for you to discuss. It is just as difficult for me to have to confront you."

"Sir, please. Mark has nothing to do with this."

"You don't have to defend him."

"I'm not!"

Alison was startled by her own outburst and was surprised that Snape did not react by sentencing her to a lifetime of detentions. "I'm sorry for my outburst, sir," she said almost immediately after seeing the look on his face. She hung her head and stared down towards her hands.

Snape walked over to where she was sitting. He asked her to stand and struggled to compose and articulate his next statement.

"None of this is your fault," he said.

Alison's mouth fell open. Had the statement come from anyone else it would have probably been accompanied by a hand or a pat on the shoulder. However, hearing them come from Professor Snape's soft yet menacing voice made her think that perhaps this was all a dream. In fact, it was single-handedly the most surreal event during her time so far at Hogwarts- and she had seen some strange things through the years. She nodded, not knowing how else to respond. "I'm sorry about my essay, Professor. I won't let it happen again."

Snape shook his head and grabbed the essay from the edge of his desk. He handed it back to Alison.

"Don't apologize," he said.

"I'm sorry," she responded out of habit then flinched at her mistake. "Sorry," she muttered again. She slapped a hand over her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut in shame. When did she become so subservient and apologetic?

"Ali- Ms. Montgomery," he began, surprised at his own slip of the tongue, "Rewrite it."

"What?" She looked up at him, astounded. Was she hearing this correctly? Was Snape giving her a second chance?

"You have until next Monday," he said. "That's one full week." He handed her the parchment and she looked from the essay to him with wide, unbelieving eyes.

"Thank you, sir. Thank you!"

Snape nodded and watched her carefully as she was dismissed from his office. She seemed happier but he wondered how long that would last. He had not gotten any information out of her and had to reassure himself that he was doing the right thing. The signs were there. He would not let what happened to his mother, happen again.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Alison left the dungeons, her mind still reeling from what had just happened. Never in her seven years at Hogwarts had she heard of Snape giving second chances. However, her glee soon turned to suspicion. **He had to know. He must know but how does he know?** She felt even worse at the sight of Mark waiting for her in the Hufflepuff common room. She pretended that she did not see him but he was too smart for that.

"Alison," he called and clicked his tongue. "You should know better by now." He patted the empty space next to him on the couch. She took her place in silence. "What did that greasy git need?"

Alison frowned. Greasy or not, the man had for once shown her some kindness. When she neglected to answer, Mark placed one hand around her shoulder, another on her thigh.

"You can tell me," he said then spotted the parchment sticking out amongst her books. "What is this?" he asked and snatched it before she had time to react. His brow furrowed as he studied the numerous red marks on the page and he mockingly gasped at the large red **T**. "Troll? Alison you're so stupid. I thought you used to be smart. Didn't you used to be smart?"

She nodded, afraid to look him in the eye because he would no doubt take her watering orbs as a sign of weakness. Mark rested his fingers under her chin and ever so gently pushed upwards so that she had no choice but to look at him. Any happiness that Snape had given her, went out the window.

"Aw," he said as though talking to a baby who was upset about something trivial. "Don't cry. I'm sure if you flunk out of school it won't affect your future. After all, what good will Potions be to a stay at home wife?"

Normally, Alison would just nod and sit in silence, her insides simmering or mind numb depending on how he insulted her. Stuck with her thoughts she tried to convince herself to say something every time but she could never find the words. Whatever she would say, he would discourage or mock. He would say she was silly and unrealistic. However, of all the people to choose from in her life, she never imagined that Severus Snape would pose as a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. He had given her some glimmer of hope- some relief after years of feeling weighed down.

"He's giving me a second chance," she said without much emotion.

Mark looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Don't be silly, Alison. He would never do something like that for someone like you. Even Slytherins are lucky to get second chances."

"He said I have until Monday." Her voice was barely above a whisper and though she wanted to tear her eyes away, she could not help but stare back at his shocked expression.

Mark laughed after a moment and shook his head. "Always the dreamer," he said. "Sweetheart, get your head out of the clouds. I'm beginning to wonder about you. Do you need some rest? Are you tired? I think you might be," he answered for her when she subtly shook her head.

Alison opened her mouth to say more but he placed his palm in front of it. "Shhh. No more of this silly talk. You're not smart enough for Professor Snape. I told you two years ago that getting into his N.E.W.T. classes with me was a fluke, sweetie. You're too pretty for that type of work."

"You know I find Potions interesting," she said, feeling brave.

"Stop trying to be something you're not, Alison."

"But I-"

"That is enough, Alison," he said, raising his voice. "You know better than to talk back. What has gotten into you today? Why don't you go upstairs and get some rest? Huh?" Mark said this while grabbing her arm and forcing her to stand. He placed a hand on her back and guided her a bit forcefully towards the girl's stairs. "Just get some rest," he called up, pretending to sound concerned while in the earshot of others.

Alison felt numb. So often nowadays she felt nothing. She did not used to be this type of girl. She used to be confident and walk around like she owned the place. She used to be focused and headstrong. Now she was unsure of everything. How had he brought her to this state? What had become of the once charming and charismatic Alison Montgomery?

_A/N: Fast update! I'm enjoying this short chapter business but on a sad note I have not started my novel for Camp Nano this July! At least I'm writing something though._


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I'm glad you guys don't like Mark. I was a little afraid of overdoing it with him but by this time they've been dating for years so he is at his worst. We will hear how things changed gradually from Alison though. _

_I have personally never been in an abusive relationship but I have been assaulted by someone who I once considered to be a friend. So the feelings/thoughts of denial- the whole 'that couldn't happen to me' attitude… I've been there and feel that if I overdo Mark, I can at least make up for that with a more realistic description of what Alison is going through mentally. So I guess, in a way, this story is therapy for me. _

_Thank you for reading! I'm supposed to be updating PMA but I can't help but be drawn to face my demons. I need to write this. I love you all._

Chapter 5

Alison walked slowly up the stairs and into her dorm. Thankfully, it was empty at this time of the afternoon so she could be left to her thoughts. She climbed into her bed without bothering to undress and pulled the drapes around her bed.

Now was the time to take a good long assessment of her life. Professor Snape had not said exactly what was on his mind but he had hinted at something and Alison immediately thought '_He knows_.' But what did he know, really? She had gotten quite good at hiding her emotions from others. Had she not? Had she failed in trying to keep this a secret? To keep this buried? If no one knew about it then it would not be true, right? She could easily call herself crazy or silly or overdramatic just as Mark did. But was she?

Alison threw her pillow over her head and screamed as loud as she could. She used to be sane. She used to be normal. Why had Mark targeted her? She used to be nobody and was content about being nobody. Why could things not stay that way?

She often thought about her life before Mark and with him. She saw no future there but also saw no escape. _Snape rhymes with escape,_ she thought. Never in her wildest dreams- or nightmares for that matter- had she ever thought that he would be the person to step in and say something. Not that he had really said anything… but he did… even though he did not.

Alison screamed again into her pillow. Perhaps it would not be such a bad idea to talk to him yet Severus Snape was not the person you thought about crying your eyes out to. He hated Hufflepuffs. That was no secret. The word amongst the students was that he even turned crying Slytherins over to another professor or that he would terrify them so much that they would not think of coming to him… not even on their worst day. Besides, her closest friends had not listened, why would he?

"Oh, it's just Mark!" Nicole had said when Alison had once approached the subject. They had once been best friends- inseparable- but with a reaction like that from her best friend, how would others respond? That was the solitary moment when she decided to start cutting emotional ties with many of her friends. Mark could not have been happier.

Alison threw the pillow back on the bed and gave it a good pound with her fist. How could she have been so stupid! Mark was right, she was stupid. She used to be smart. How could she have let him worm his way around her life and take control of it. Why could she not stop it? _I deserve this, _she thought. _Mark is my punishment. I let him in and I'm the one who needs to push him back out. I just don't think I'm strong enough to do it alone. _

Alison slipped into a sort of trance and began to argue with herself. Something inside of her wanted to retaliate but the rest of her did not know how.

**Snape. **_No. _

**Go to Snape. **_No. _

**He can help you. **_No one can help me. I can only help myself. I am incapable of helping myself. I am weak._

**No you're not. **_Mark has made me so. He tells me so. _

**He is wrong. Tell someone! **_No one needs to know. _

**Someone needs to know. **_This is a private matter. If I don't do this myself than it is proof that I am weak. _

**Seeking help in a time of need is not a weakness. It takes guts. **_I need to have some pride and dignity left. _

**What pride is left? **_I don't know. _

**It takes a lot more guts for someone with pride to ask for help then for someone without to ask. **_I don't even know if I have the will to ask anymore. I feel so tired. _

**Go to Snape. He offered. **_He just asked a simple question. _

**There was a deeper meaning behind his words. Go to him. **_And say what? What would I say? Bursting into tears is sure to make him happy. _

**Just go. Show up. Arrive. Face him. Words will come out. **_Are you so sure? _

Alison took a deep breath and dried her watering eyes upon the pillow case. She stood up slowly, having nothing left to say to herself and began to change into her jeans. Throwing a simple green sweater over her head and letting her hair down, she looked in the mirror and tried on her best cheery face. It did not look so cheery. She studied her reflection as she had done many times before. There used to be a light in those eyes. Her laughter used to sound like music, she had been told. Now, her smile never reached her eyes. She looked tired even though she tried her best not to. Perhaps it was time to end this.

She argued with herself all the way through the common room but her thoughts stopped screaming and began to whisper amongst themselves as she spotted Mark, already changed, and waiting for her to walk to dinner together. She was not strong enough to give him the cold shoulder or an evil glare. Instead, she managed a small smile and took the hand that he offered, as always.

She could not go to Snape now. But when? Mark was always watching. Who she talked to and what she was doing every second of the day was his business. She would have to sneak out in the middle of the night to find Snape. He would be the first person to slap her with a dozen detentions if he caught her out after hours.

She wondered how many students had ever used the excuse, 'but I came to see you, sir.'

After dinner, the night soon arrived and Alison drifted off to sleep while pondering how to go about talking to Snape. However, more nights came and went. Nights eventually turned into weeks and before she knew it a whole month had gone by since he had confronted her.

She continued to argue with herself while Mark continued to be Mark. He had gotten worse within that month. His 'caresses' had become more public yet no one said a thing to her. They pretended not to see and she would turn her attention towards the floor for a moment. Mark had her exactly where he wanted her.

Complete control. Dominance.

_**Things like this aren't suppose to happen to girls like me.**_ For the first time in a long time, Alison's heart and mind seemed to be on the same page. She would go to Snape. She would go to him soon. The question was- what would she say?


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: I apologize for my tardiness. I've been bad and haven't updated. I've reached the point where I need a Severus Snape fix badly! I didn't even get around to the July or August Camp NaNos…shame on me! So without further ado, I present to you the next chapter! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews!_

Chapter 6

Alison's essay had been better the second time around but it was still nothing compared to her usual standards. Her grades as a whole had continued to slip. Eavesdropping on a few conversations in the staffroom had proved that much. At least the rest of the staff was noticing the change but none of them would believe Mark Sedgwick was at fault. Severus had even once suggested that Alison's problems might be stemming from "amorous complications" but it was highly doubted by everyone present.

"You're not saying that this is Mr. Sedgwick's doing, are you, Severus?" asked Pomona Sprout.

"I am."

McGonagall clicked her tongue. "One of the most charming young men in the school. What makes you think this, Severus?"

He inhaled deeply. "It was merely a suggestion," he said and returned to reading the Daily Prophet.

He never mentioned it again to anyone. If they could not see it for themselves then they were not worth his time.

Time. He wondered how it had taken its toll on Alison. A whole month and she had not come to him. Then again, he had made it so that no student would dare bother him for counsel. How could he lure Alison towards him without seeming obvious or alarming?

Severus spent the entirety of the last Hogsmeade trip in the bookstore looking for advice on how to confront someone in Alison's situation. However, as it was not necessarily a magical topic, he returned to the castle empty-handed. He had scoured the library as well but remained without luck. He understood that there was not always a book written for every one of life's problems, yet he did not give up until he had time to properly search a muggle library or book shop.

The weeks seemed to drag by and before he knew it, it was mid-December and the holiday break was near. The evening before students left for school to return home to their families, Severus took a few free hours and left the castle to return home to Spinner's End.

He changed out of his school robes and threw on some muggle jeans and a thick sweater so as not to draw any unwanted attention. As he grabbed his coat and scarf from the back of the sofa, his eyes roamed across the many book-filled shelves in the living room.

"Of course," he said. He threw his coat and scarf back onto the furniture and charged up the stairs, taking two and three at a time with his long legs. When he reached the top landing, he strode towards the middle of the hall and stood under the narrow rectangular door that led to the attic. There were many things hidden up there that he would rather not see. However, amongst the remnants of his mother's belongings were her books- her private collection of books- and just maybe one that would help guide him.

Severus extended his arms upward and wrapped his lithe fingers around the door chain. As he gave it a swift tug, a shower of dust fell upon him and the door gave way. Once open, an old, rickety ladder unfolded. Wand in hand, he made his way up into the attic.

* * *

><p>"You don't really want to stay."<p>

"Yes, I do," she said, picking up her pace.

"Alison," he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her back towards him. "What is this?" he asked with a hurt tone. "You're not mad at me are you?"

She avoided eye contact at first and did not respond but Mark raised her chin with just one finger and forced her to look at him.** Such an infuriating gesture.** He pouted and sported a truly hurt expression.

"Are you mad at me, baby? Have I done something wrong? I've tried so hard to please you," he said, his voice light and smooth.

She thought about saying 'yes' but did not have it in her. She wanted to list off all the horrible things he had done but how often do we all cone to that moment and then do not know what to say? She could not think of many specific examples and the ones she could think of seemed silly and trivial without the context. She frowned.

Mark continued to slump his shoulders and frown, waiting for his answer. He knew full well what she was thinking- she was aware of this,too - but he also knew she did not have it in her to lash out at him. So when she looked up at him and burst into tears, he chose to play the part of the supportive boyfriend and wrapped his arms around her. He shushed her for a few moments and rubbed her back. However, when he had decided he had had enough and that there was no one else hanging around the hall, he pushed her away.

"You'll be fine," he said, his tone distant.

Seeing this change in him, Alison cried harder and leaned back against the wall for support.

"Jesus, calm down," Mark said as her cries became louder. "Thank goodness everyone has left for the train already so they don't hear this. Hurry up and get your things. You're going to make me miss the train. Christ, what are you PMSing or something?"

All Alison could do was shake her head. She held one hand over her mouth while the other was balled tightly into a fist. She did not have the strength to hit him though. Besides, he might be the type that hits back.

"I'm not leaving," she stuttered out, in between gasps.

"To hell you're not," he said, grabbing her arm again and leading her back towards the entrance.

"I don't believe Ms. Montgomery is on the list of students going home over break," came the voice of Professor Flitwick. "Hurry up, Sedgwick. You're the only one I'm missing. The train is waiting and the students onboard are anxious to leave."

Alison had tried desperately to straighten up and wipe away her tears as Flitwick spoke but he eyed her state with concern.

"Is everything all right here, Ms. Montgomery?"

"Y-yes, s-sir," she said, sniffling.

"Hmm," he said and regarded the two students for a moment. "Very well then. Off you go, Sedgwick. I'll walk you down to the train."

"That's not necessary, Professor," Mark said.

"Policy, I'm afraid."

Mark seemed hesitant to say goodbye at first but with Flitwick standing there waiting on him, he did not have much choice but to board the train home, leaving Alison behind.

"I'll see you when I get back, okay?" he cupped her tear-stained face in his hands and kissed her lips.

Alison nodded, trying not to make eye contact with him or Flitwick. Reluctantly, Mark let go of her and walked down to the train with Professor Flitwick. Alison breathed a sigh of relief as he vanished from her sight. How she had managed to keep from him the fact that she was staying, she would never know but it gave her a sense of achievement. She was happy and for now she was free of him.

For now.

_A/N: So I fully intended to have Snape and Alison talk in this chapter but as I sat down to write this all happened! Hope you still enjoyed it!_


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